diff --git a/osu.Desktop/Overlays/VersionManager.cs b/osu.Desktop/Overlays/VersionManager.cs
index 5a8cf32f14..1f1d2cea5f 100644
--- a/osu.Desktop/Overlays/VersionManager.cs
+++ b/osu.Desktop/Overlays/VersionManager.cs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // See the LICENCE file in the repository root for full licence text.
 
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
+using osu.Framework.Development;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Containers;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Sprites;
@@ -12,7 +13,6 @@
 using osu.Game.Graphics.Sprites;
 using osu.Game.Overlays;
 using osu.Game.Overlays.Notifications;
-using osu.Game.Utils;
 using osuTK;
 using osuTK.Graphics;
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ private void load(NotificationOverlay notification, OsuColour colours, TextureSt
                                 },
                                 new OsuSpriteText
                                 {
-                                    Colour = DebugUtils.IsDebug ? colours.Red : Color4.White,
+                                    Colour = DebugUtils.IsDebugBuild ? colours.Red : Color4.White,
                                     Text = game.Version
                                 },
                             }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/UserInterface/TestSceneModSelectOverlay.cs b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/UserInterface/TestSceneModSelectOverlay.cs
index c04c7127fd..5a903b9417 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/UserInterface/TestSceneModSelectOverlay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Tests/Visual/UserInterface/TestSceneModSelectOverlay.cs
@@ -216,13 +216,13 @@ private void testMultiplierTextColour(Mod mod, Color4 colour)
 
         private void testRankedText(Mod mod)
         {
-            AddWaitStep("wait for fade", 1);
+            waitForLoad();
             AddAssert("check for ranked", () => modSelect.UnrankedLabel.Alpha == 0);
             selectNext(mod);
-            AddWaitStep("wait for fade", 1);
+            waitForLoad();
             AddAssert("check for unranked", () => modSelect.UnrankedLabel.Alpha != 0);
             selectPrevious(mod);
-            AddWaitStep("wait for fade", 1);
+            waitForLoad();
             AddAssert("check for ranked", () => modSelect.UnrankedLabel.Alpha == 0);
         }
 
@@ -232,6 +232,7 @@ private void testRankedText(Mod mod)
 
         private void checkSelected(Mod mod)
         {
+            waitForLoad();
             AddAssert($"check {mod.Name} is selected", () =>
             {
                 var button = modSelect.GetModButton(mod);
@@ -239,8 +240,14 @@ private void checkSelected(Mod mod)
             });
         }
 
+        private void waitForLoad()
+        {
+            AddUntilStep("wait for icons to load", () => modSelect.AllLoaded);
+        }
+
         private void checkNotSelected(Mod mod)
         {
+            waitForLoad();
             AddAssert($"check {mod.Name} is not selected", () =>
             {
                 var button = modSelect.GetModButton(mod);
@@ -254,6 +261,8 @@ private class TestModSelectOverlay : ModSelectOverlay
         {
             public new Bindable<IReadOnlyList<Mod>> SelectedMods => base.SelectedMods;
 
+            public bool AllLoaded => ModSectionsContainer.Children.All(c => c.ModIconsLoaded);
+
             public ModButton GetModButton(Mod mod)
             {
                 var section = ModSectionsContainer.Children.Single(s => s.ModType == mod.Type);
diff --git a/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs b/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
index 637708a0e5..87ff721bbb 100644
--- a/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
 using osu.Framework.Audio;
 using osu.Framework.Bindables;
+using osu.Framework.Development;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Containers;
 using osu.Framework.IO.Stores;
@@ -34,7 +35,6 @@
 using osu.Game.Scoring;
 using osu.Game.Skinning;
 using osuTK.Input;
-using DebugUtils = osu.Game.Utils.DebugUtils;
 
 namespace osu.Game
 {
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ public string Version
             get
             {
                 if (!IsDeployedBuild)
-                    return @"local " + (DebugUtils.IsDebug ? @"debug" : @"release");
+                    return @"local " + (DebugUtils.IsDebugBuild ? @"debug" : @"release");
 
                 var version = AssemblyVersion;
                 return $@"{version.Major}.{version.Minor}.{version.Build}";
diff --git a/osu.Game/Overlays/Mods/ModSection.cs b/osu.Game/Overlays/Mods/ModSection.cs
index 4c44aad87d..dedd397fa5 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Overlays/Mods/ModSection.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Overlays/Mods/ModSection.cs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Threading;
 using osu.Framework.Input.Events;
 using osu.Game.Graphics;
 
@@ -33,6 +34,13 @@ public string Header
 
         public IEnumerable<Mod> SelectedMods => buttons.Select(b => b.SelectedMod).Where(m => m != null);
 
+        private CancellationTokenSource modsLoadCts;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// True when all mod icons have completed loading.
+        /// </summary>
+        public bool ModIconsLoaded { get; private set; } = true;
+
         public IEnumerable<Mod> Mods
         {
             set
@@ -48,7 +56,15 @@ public IEnumerable<Mod> Mods
                     };
                 }).ToArray();
 
-                ButtonsContainer.Children = modContainers;
+                modsLoadCts?.Cancel();
+                ModIconsLoaded = false;
+
+                LoadComponentsAsync(modContainers, c =>
+                {
+                    ModIconsLoaded = true;
+                    ButtonsContainer.ChildrenEnumerable = c;
+                }, (modsLoadCts = new CancellationTokenSource()).Token);
+
                 buttons = modContainers.OfType<ModButton>().ToArray();
 
                 if (value.Any())
diff --git a/osu.Game/Overlays/Settings/SettingsFooter.cs b/osu.Game/Overlays/Settings/SettingsFooter.cs
index b5ee4b4f0c..a815480094 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Overlays/Settings/SettingsFooter.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Overlays/Settings/SettingsFooter.cs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using osu.Framework.Allocation;
+using osu.Framework.Development;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Containers;
 using osu.Game.Graphics;
@@ -12,7 +13,6 @@
 using osu.Game.Rulesets;
 using osuTK;
 using osuTK.Graphics;
-using DebugUtils = osu.Game.Utils.DebugUtils;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Overlays.Settings
 {
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ private void load(OsuGameBase game, OsuColour colours, RulesetStore rulesets)
                     Text = game.Name,
                     Font = OsuFont.GetFont(size: 18, weight: FontWeight.Bold),
                 },
-                new BuildDisplay(game.Version, DebugUtils.IsDebug)
+                new BuildDisplay(game.Version, DebugUtils.IsDebugBuild)
                 {
                     Anchor = Anchor.TopCentre,
                     Origin = Anchor.TopCentre,
diff --git a/osu.Game/Utils/DebugUtils.cs b/osu.Game/Utils/DebugUtils.cs
deleted file mode 100644
index 9b1d355a83..0000000000
--- a/osu.Game/Utils/DebugUtils.cs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright (c) ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>. Licensed under the MIT Licence.
-// See the LICENCE file in the repository root for full licence text.
-
-namespace osu.Game.Utils
-{
-    public static class DebugUtils
-    {
-        public static bool IsDebug
-        {
-            get
-            {
-                // ReSharper disable once RedundantAssignment
-                bool isDebug = false;
-                // Debug.Assert conditions are only evaluated in debug mode
-                System.Diagnostics.Debug.Assert(isDebug = true);
-                // ReSharper disable once ConditionIsAlwaysTrueOrFalse
-                return isDebug;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}